The Lady Who Flew Africa
"A British adventurer has completed an epic 14,600-nautical mile flight from the UK to Australia in a vintage open cockpit bi-plane." - BBC via Chris Scott
"Some early reports suggested it was a solo flight - Ms Curtis-Taylor was the only pilot to fly the vintage bi-plane, but she had a support team of engineers travelling with her in a separate aircraft, as well as a camera crew, who would sometimes sit in with her." - BBC via Chris Scott
In which case Lieutenant Commander (Hon) Tracey Curtis-Taylor Royal Naval Reserve should surely be recommended for an OBE....but only as in "Other Buggers' Efforts"!
For fun, I have had a look at her Faecesbook page to see if there is any mention of the word "solo", which I believe has only one clear definition as far as aviators are concerned. It's there all right, together rather surprisingly with a copy of a telegram from Louis Bleriot.....
Jack
"Some early reports suggested it was a solo flight - Ms Curtis-Taylor was the only pilot to fly the vintage bi-plane, but she had a support team of engineers travelling with her in a separate aircraft, as well as a camera crew, who would sometimes sit in with her." - BBC via Chris Scott
In which case Lieutenant Commander (Hon) Tracey Curtis-Taylor Royal Naval Reserve should surely be recommended for an OBE....but only as in "Other Buggers' Efforts"!
For fun, I have had a look at her Faecesbook page to see if there is any mention of the word "solo", which I believe has only one clear definition as far as aviators are concerned. It's there all right, together rather surprisingly with a copy of a telegram from Louis Bleriot.....
Jack
If anyone would like to correct the BBC on the reality of her 'achievement' the link is here:
Online output - Style, accuracy or grammar error - BBC News
And more background information on it here:
FLYER Forums ? View topic - Tracey Curtis arrives in Oz
Perhaps (high) time the truth came out?
Online output - Style, accuracy or grammar error - BBC News
And more background information on it here:
FLYER Forums ? View topic - Tracey Curtis arrives in Oz
Perhaps (high) time the truth came out?
Keeping Warm?
My wife watched the clips on TV showing her in the open cockpit and asked how she kept warm. Hot air blower in the cockpit, electrically heated flying suit or whatever - any ideas please?
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Lost and Legless somewhere in LaLaLand
Age: 77
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm much more impressed with Eve Jackson's genuinely unassisted flight from Biggin Hill to Sydney in a CFM Shadow microlight in 1984.
Eve Jackson unassisted flight to Australia in a Microlight.
Eve is an interesting lady who doesn't crow about her achievement and is presently working in Tanzania
Eve Jackson unassisted flight to Australia in a Microlight.
Eve is an interesting lady who doesn't crow about her achievement and is presently working in Tanzania
There have been many genuine solo flights between Australia and the UK and in both directions.
The late Clive Canning did the Australia - UK - Australia return trip in his Thorpe T-18, VH-CMC in 1976. His story is to be found in his book "Charlie Mike Charlie" and it is really worth the read.
CC
The late Clive Canning did the Australia - UK - Australia return trip in his Thorpe T-18, VH-CMC in 1976. His story is to be found in his book "Charlie Mike Charlie" and it is really worth the read.
CC
God what a lot of miserable buggers. Assuming that the flight is eventually going to be shown as a TV programme in the same way as the Cape Town - Goodwood one was, how does anyone think that filming took place without a support aircraft? Did they think that Tracey was filming herself using a very long selfie stick? As for having a camera operator in the second seat - seems pretty obvious if you want some close up shots from inside the aircraft.
I've read the report of the interview she gave to the Independent after arrival and she made it clear that she wasnt solo on all legs, and that she had a back up aircraft. I still think its a pretty impressive effort and well worth an "honorary" rank. One question - how did the navy get in before the RAF? Maybe she'd like to be an honorary group captain as well, like Carol Vorderman!
I've read the report of the interview she gave to the Independent after arrival and she made it clear that she wasnt solo on all legs, and that she had a back up aircraft. I still think its a pretty impressive effort and well worth an "honorary" rank. One question - how did the navy get in before the RAF? Maybe she'd like to be an honorary group captain as well, like Carol Vorderman!
1. The dropping of the word 'solo' was only after the BBC and others asked for specific clarification - until then, it was being publicised as being solo.
2. The other person in the cockpit for pretty much every single flight (40 out of 44 on CT-Goodwood for example) was Ewald Gritsch, her instructor!
Her (deliberate) public profile is at best disingenuous, and at worst...
More information on the Flyer Forum for those interested...
2. The other person in the cockpit for pretty much every single flight (40 out of 44 on CT-Goodwood for example) was Ewald Gritsch, her instructor!
Her (deliberate) public profile is at best disingenuous, and at worst...
More information on the Flyer Forum for those interested...
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From latest SIA Silver Kris magazine
Sorry,cant post the article " The Aviatrix" ,but link (page 24) is here:
SilverKris February 2016 - Download SilverKris tablet edition on the App Store / Google Play Store now!
SilverKris February 2016 - Download SilverKris tablet edition on the App Store / Google Play Store now!
Last edited by aviator_38; 6th Feb 2016 at 08:40. Reason: adding page reference
Can't see any mention of "solo" in that SIA article, nor in this post-arrival (Jan 28) newsletter from the lady herself:
Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker
Tracey Curtis Taylor - Aviatrix, Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker
An excerpt from her last newsletter (my underline):
Ewald Gritsch, whose company 3G Classic Aviation not only restored the Stearman, but who has worked tirelessly to provide full technical support of the flight. It wouldn't have been possible without him.
At least this is accurate, given that he also (apologies for repetition):
• Owns the aircraft
• Is an instructor with 20,000+ hours
• Was in the front seat nearly every flight.
So, here's to Ewald!
Ewald Gritsch, whose company 3G Classic Aviation not only restored the Stearman, but who has worked tirelessly to provide full technical support of the flight. It wouldn't have been possible without him.
At least this is accurate, given that he also (apologies for repetition):
• Owns the aircraft
• Is an instructor with 20,000+ hours
• Was in the front seat nearly every flight.
So, here's to Ewald!
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
another article from the SIA Silver Kris,which SIA tweeted
Here's the article:
http://www.silverkris.com/stories/interview-woman-who-flew-solo-uk-australia-open-cockpit-1942-biplane
If the flight was not a solo one , someone who "knows more about this" should inform the magazine editor , as SIA is one of the SPONSER. It is necessary to correct the wrong impression that this article gives. A reasonable reader would have assumed that Tracey's folks would have seen the article when it was in draft-form and would have agreed to the thrust and contents before it went into print.
Cheers
http://www.silverkris.com/stories/interview-woman-who-flew-solo-uk-australia-open-cockpit-1942-biplane
If the flight was not a solo one , someone who "knows more about this" should inform the magazine editor , as SIA is one of the SPONSER. It is necessary to correct the wrong impression that this article gives. A reasonable reader would have assumed that Tracey's folks would have seen the article when it was in draft-form and would have agreed to the thrust and contents before it went into print.
Cheers
It is clear from the hundreds of articles talking about this flight as solo, and the earlier Cape Town to Goodwood, that everyone involved in the project prefers that the word 'solo' be used as much as possible. That it's not actually the case is only a concern for those of us who value the truth.
"Why let the truth get in the way of a good story"...
"Why let the truth get in the way of a good story"...
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The TV programme was a missed opportunity. Superficial... there was so much I wanted to know that it just didn't cover... High mountains? How high? How did she cope? Ignition problems just before the Med crossing? What was the fault? She didn't seem interested, just left it 'to others' to fix, and as long as mag check went OK that seemed to be the limit of the pilot's interest!
Was it really like that? If I was facing a long sea crossing after an ignition failure I'd want to know what the problem was and how it was fixed! I'd also do some extensive test flying before setting off across the oggin!
It seems a lot was going on with this epic flight that the TV programme wasn't going to tell us about.
Was it really like that? If I was facing a long sea crossing after an ignition failure I'd want to know what the problem was and how it was fixed! I'd also do some extensive test flying before setting off across the oggin!
It seems a lot was going on with this epic flight that the TV programme wasn't going to tell us about.
I think her lack of interest is probably an accurate reflection, Ewald (the guy in the front seat) repaired it.
That was what he was there for, as well as helping to fly, navigate, flight-plan etc. etc. He's also the guy who owns the plane and was the one who rebuilt it.
Safe flights, Sam.
That was what he was there for, as well as helping to fly, navigate, flight-plan etc. etc. He's also the guy who owns the plane and was the one who rebuilt it.
Safe flights, Sam.